Surprisingly Simple Solutions for Poultry House Ventilation

Though we’re heading into September, for growers in the South, the hot temperatures won’t be letting up anytime soon. This means you’re relying on full poultry house ventilation well into September, and probably through October too. Even when cooler weather eventually does set in, cleaning fans and maintaining proper air flow efficiency remains a top priority for poultry farmers. If you’re looking to ensure air flow efficiency, control dust issues, and stop power bills from skyrocketing, here are some essential tips:

Minimize hot air leaks

Air that leaks between tunnel inlets and tunnel fans automatically makes those fans work harder in order to give off the ideal velocity. If you’ve got leaks happening (even if they may seem miniscule) in any part of your poultry house, you’re forcing your fans to go into overdrive to keep temperatures down and your birds comfortable. This is especially true if you’ve got unsealed cracks in the house. When the sun beats down on roofing or sidewall metals all day, that scorching air is now seeping into the building and raising its overall temperature. When power bills are getting to be unmanageable and it feels like your fans just can’t keep up, check and see if this is part of the problem.

Ensure proper maintenance on your fans

Beyond keeping fans clean and free of dust, you’ll also want to ensure that these machines are getting regular maintenance. Worn belts, pulleys, and other equipment that start to break down over time has a major impact on efficiency and also prevents maximum velocity from developing. This maintenance should happen ahead of when you need your fans the most, so don’t save it for the hottest part of your growing season. However, if you’ve got larger animals in the houses, you’ll want to verify that your fans are in good working order during the growout. You should also check that your shutters are clean.

Make use of products like Swash Dust-Repel™

At FarmLab Innovations, we know that your time is precious and that minimizing dust is a year-round concern. In fact, we recently polled 62 poultry growers in the United States. We asked how often these growers were cleaning their fans between flocks. The results showed that 83 percent of poll participants are required by their integrator to wash their fans between every flock, with only 17 percent washing their fans once per year or never.

Because poultry growers are spending such a significant amount of time cleaning fans, our team of chemists developed ourSwash Dust-Repel™ sprayto streamline this process. Our goal is to make cleaning your fans easier and more cost-effective. We’ve found that applying Swash Dust-Repel™ in the late summer and early fall cuts down on dust buildup, thus leading to a 30-50 percent reduction in water usage during clean out. Additionally, fans that are treated with Swash Dust-Repel™ can be cleaned 30 percent faster than those that aren’t. The end result? Reduced ammonia retention in the building, an easier cleaning process, and better health for both your flock and your staff.

A key tip to keep in mind as you utilize this product: don’t neglect your fan’s crates. We heard from one grower who used Swash Dust-Repel™ a few months ago who noted that he wished he had thought to treat his crates as well. Remember, crates that get clogged with feathers and other debris slow down your air flow efficiency, so give them proper attention.

Better air flow and poultry house ventilation equates to a healthier environment for both your birds and your staff.

Better air flow and poultry house ventilation equates to a healthier environment for both your birds and your staff. If you’re interested in learning more about incorporating Swash Dust-Repel™ into your routine to maximize air flow efficiency and lower your cleaning costs, >>> click here.<<<

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The name FarmLab Innovations may be new, but our brand has a long history. We’re proud to be part of Piedmont Chemical Industries, a company that’s served as a formidable presence in the field for more than 80 years. Our highly trained scientists draw on their collective 200 years of experience in order to effectively innovate and solve problems that continue to plague our industry.